Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Impactful Decisions I've Ever Experienced in Gaming

I've encountered some hard decisions in gaming. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments prompted me to set down my controller for a good 10 minutes while I thought through my choices. I am the cause of numerous Krogan deaths in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. Not a single one of those situations hold a candle to what possibly is the toughest selection I've faced in a video game — and it involves a giant staircase.

Baby Steps, the newest release from the makers of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a decision-focused experience. At least not in any traditional sense. You only need to walk around a vast game world as the protagonist Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can barely stand on his wobbly legs. It looks like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s strength comes from its surprisingly deep narrative that will catch you off guard when you least anticipate it. There’s no situation that exemplifies that strength like a key selection that I can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is needed at this point. Baby Steps game begins as Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that walking through it is a struggle, as a lifetime spent as a sedentary person have weakened his muscles. The physical comedy of it all stems from gamers directing Nate step by step, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate requires assistance, but he has problems articulating that to anyone. Throughout his hero’s journey, he encounters a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A self-assured trekker attempts to offer Nate a map, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he plunges into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and truly prefers to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you experience no shortage of irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s too insecure to accept any assistance.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s key situation of decision. As Nate nears the end his quest, he finds that he must ascend of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) shows up to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s ready for a test, he can take an extremely long and risky path named The Manbreaker. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game provides; choosing it looks risky to any human.

But there’s a second option: He can simply ascend a enormous coiled steps as an alternative and arrive at the peak in just moments. The single stipulation? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Painful Choice

I am very serious when I say that this is an painful decision in this situation. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself reaching a climax in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is revolves around the reality that he’s self-conscious of his body and his masculinity. Whenever he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a hard reminder of what he fails to be. Taking on The Challenge could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as competent as his one-sided rival, but that path is likely paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it justified suffering just to make a statement?

The stairs, on the flip side, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to choose whether to take assistance or not. The player has no choice in if they reject navigation help, but they can choose to give Nate a break and take the stairs. It should be an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about causing suspicion anytime you encounter an easy option. The environment includes design traps that turn a safe route into a difficulty suddenly. Could the steps one more trick? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be let down by some last-second gag? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished once again by being compelled to refer to an odd character as Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no perfect selection. Either one results in a authentic instance of personal growth and therapeutic resolution for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Obstacle, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate at last receives a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as competent as everyone else, voluntarily accepting a tough path rather than suffering through one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s difficult, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he craves.

But there’s no shame in the steps too. To select that route is to eventually enable Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he finds that there’s no hidden trick awaiting him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he won't slip to the bottom if he trips. It’s a simple climb after hours of struggle. Halfway up, he even has a discussion with the trekker who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Challenge. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s exhausted, silently lamenting the unnecessary challenge. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the deal hardly seems so bad. Who has energy for shame by this freak?

My Experience

When I played, I selected the steps. Part of me just {wanted to call